BOXING 



S7-I 



BOXING 



ing is discussed in the article PRIZE-FIGHTING 

 (which see). All boxers now use padded 

 leather gloves, usually weighing six to eight 

 ounces, partly to protect their hands and partly 

 to prevent serious injury to each other. 



Marquis of Queensberry Rules. These rules, 

 as now in force throughout the world, are not 

 quite the same as those originally adopted in 

 1867. Their first purpose was to eliminate the 

 brutality of professional prize-fighting and 

 make boxing a sport. Under the original rules 

 a match included three five-minute rounds, 

 with one minute's rest between rounds. If 

 one of the boxers was knocked down or fell 

 from weakness he was allowed any reasonable 

 time to recover. 



These rules, slightly changed, now apply both 

 to professional and to amateur boxing. They 

 require a "fair, stand-up" match, no wrestling 

 or clinching allowed. Each round is three 

 minutes long, and the intermission between 

 rounds is one minute. If a boxer falls, either 

 from weakness or from a blow, he is allowed 

 ten seconds to get up without assistance. If 

 he is not on his feet as the referee counts ten, 

 the boxer is said to "take the count" and is 

 "knocked out." His opponent is the winner. 

 The American Amateur Athletic Association 

 adopted the Queensberry rules with only a few 

 minor changes. It fixed the maximum weight 

 of gloves at eight ounces, and the size of the 

 "ring" in which the match takes place at six- 

 teen to twenty-four feet square. Under Eng- 

 lish rules the ring may be as small as twelve 

 feet square. 



Boxers are divided by weight into six dif- 

 ferent classes, the maximum weight for each 

 class being as follows: Bantam weight, 105 

 pounds; feather weight, 115 pounds; light 

 weight, 135 pounds; welterweight, 145 pounds; 

 middle weight, 158 pounds; heavy weight, over 

 158 pounds. For example, if a man's weight 

 increases from 105 pounds to 107 pounds he 

 becomes a member of the feather-weight class, 

 remaining in that division until his weight 

 exceeds 115 pounds. Boxers in each class usu- 

 ally arrange matches only with others in their 

 own class, but it is not unusual for a man to 

 advance from a lighter to a heavier class. 



Technique of Boxing. The object of boxing 

 is to deliver blows and at the same time pro- 

 tect oneself from attack by one's opponent. 

 Every experienced boxer develops an individ- 

 ual, characteristic style, certain defensive posi- 

 tions which allow him to use his strength and 

 skill to best advantage. The beginner, how- 



ever, should adhere to the accepted principles 

 and not try unnatural poses until he has mas- 

 tered at least the rudiments of the art. 



The boxers face each other, just out of 

 reach. Most boxers stand with the left foot 

 in advance and slightly turn the left side of 

 the body toward the opponent. Beginners 

 should assume an upright position. Profes- 

 sional boxers, especially in the United States, 

 assume a position called the crouch, in which 

 the body is bent towards the right, while the 

 left arm is stretched out toward the opponent. 

 The left arm is used to make the most leads; 

 the right delivers the heavier blows. 



The attack may be made in several ways. 

 First is the straight lead, a hard blow straight 

 from the shoulder without preliminary feinting. 

 A feint is an attempt to throw the opponent off 

 his guard, as, for example, by apparently aim- 

 ing with the right at his head while really 

 planning to strike him with the left in the 

 stomach. A counter is just like a lead, but is 

 delivered at the same time that the opponent 

 attempts to strike; it is really a counter-lead. 

 A counter may be, and usually is, delivered in 

 connection with a rapid change in position, 

 such as a step to one side or a drop from a 

 standing to a crouching position. A cross 

 counter is a blow usually delivered with the 

 right hand, which goes over the opponent's 

 left arm as he counters a left lead or as he 

 leads his left. 



Guarding may be done in various ways, usu- 

 ally with the arm or hand. If the blow is 

 stopped by the guard it is said to be blocked, 

 otherwise it lands. A blow may be avoided 

 by a quick duck of the head, thus allowing it 

 to pass over. It may also be pushed to one 

 side, so that its force is delivered only against 

 the body. This is a valuable device, for if 

 the opponent's blow is partly blocked and 

 glances off, he is nearly always slightly off his 

 balance and himself -exposed to a stiff blow. 

 There is always the further possibility that the 

 opponent's blow will fall short if a boxer bends 

 his back or his head. 



Some Advantages of Boxing. As a form of 

 physical exercise boxing is of undeniable value. 

 Not only are the muscles of the arms, legs and 

 back developed, but the various positions as- 

 sumed in attack and defense bring into play 

 all of those movements which serve to increase 

 the agility of the boxer, make him light on his 

 feet and develop control of his body. More- 

 over, he receives training in mental alertness 

 as he practices the art of "hitting without 



